How Should I Prepare for a Career in Biomedical Engineering?

The biomedical engineering student should first plan to become a good engineer who then acquires a working understanding of the life sciences and terminology. Good communication skills are also important, because the biomedical engineer provides a vital link with professionals having medical, technical, and other backgrounds.

High school preparation for biomedical engineering is the same as that for any other engineering discipline, except that life science course work should also be included. If possible, Advanced Placement courses in these areas would be helpful. At the college level, the student usually selects engineering as a field of study, then chooses a discipline concentration within engineering. Some students will major in biomedical engineering, while others may major in chemical, electrical, or mechanical engineering with a specialty in biomedical engineering. As career plans develop, the student should seek advice on the degree of specialization and the educational levels appropriate to his or her goals and interests. Information on sources of financial aid for education and training should also be sought. Many students continue their education in graduate school where they obtain valuable biomedical research experience at the Masters or Doctoral level. When entering the job market, the graduate should be able to point to well defined engineering skills for application to the biomedical field, with some project or in-the-field experience in biomedical engineering.